How great is that! I was on the phone with a pro today when it got announced and he was stoked too because he's a Nixon fan too. Loved talking to Larry again. Here's 5 with him:
1. Why now? Are you physically good now?
> "Actually the only reason I haven't used [the Legends qualification exemption] before was that 2 guys were on there at all times. [B.A.S.S. allows 2 Legends exemptions per year. This season Rick Clunn and David Fritts were those 2. Rick is back for 2023 without needing an exemption so that 1 spot opened up for Larry.]
> "Last year I looked at it awful hard and all of a sudden all the entry fees were paid where I was at. Rather than trying to start over, I just kept fishing what I was fishing. I've been wanting back in for some time....
> "I'm just not liking where the whole [fishing] world is going right now...so now's the time to fish B.A.S.S. if I can get in. ...I'm built for fishing for 5 bass. I'm not interested in catching a lot of 'em, even though I like to catch a lot of 'em, believe me. My mentality has always been to compete with the best 5 fish. The way things were going [on MLF], the only prize I had at the end of the rainbow was to get into [the Bass Pro Tour]...and I want to have a goal at the end of the season, and of course the Bassmaster Classic is the biggest goal there is so there I am.
> "Right now I have no pain but I still have some wore-out parts – so I'm pretty good. At Rayburn [the Open] I had to fish a moving bait all day long and wound up having a good tournament there [21st] so I think I'm ready."
2. Will you move back to Bee Branch so we can hear Dave Mercer yell, "From Bee Branch, Arkansas!"
> [Laughs] "Well I'm so close I could still be in Bee Branch so he can yell it all he wants! I'm exactly halfway between Bee Branch and Quitman, and my address just happened to be on the wrong side of the line."
3. Is it shallow water with a Senko or bust?
> "No. It's never been a lure choice or bust. I've always been a pretty universal fisherman. I just love that fish tend to get a little different up in the day and it takes a worm, Senko or Carolina rig to make 'em bite later in the day sometimes."
4. How are you with forward-facing sonar?
> "If you go back at Champlain [MLF Pro Circuit in Jul-Aug], I looked at every one of 'em I caught [he finished 33rd]. That's the only tournament I used it in in my whole life with any success. If it's a must situation in some tournaments or in some months of the year, it's a must situation and you need to learn how to use it.
> "I don't know all the finer subtleties of forward-facing sonar and it showed up that 2nd day when I only had 16 lbs. If I'd known what I was looking at, I would've had another 18-19 lbs so I'm still just learning."
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